[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 15, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H2073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FREEING UP RESTRICTIVE FUEL MILEAGE STANDARDS

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the President's 
decision to halt new EPA fuel mileage restrictions on the auto 
industry, also known as CAFE standards.
  Speaking to auto industry workers in Detroit today, President Trump 
promised to reexamine stringent fuel efficiency rules that were hurried 
into place in the final days of the previous administration.
  After committing to a review in 2018, the Obama administration 
changed course just before leaving office and decided to keep the 
requirements in place for model year vehicles 2022-2025. According to 
reviews by independent economists and engineers, these requirements 
would add at least an average of $3,800 in costs per vehicle, even 
after supposed fuel savings were considered.
  Even more, this vastly limits consumer choice, whether someone wants 
to buy a minivan to move their family or soccer team around, a farmer 
or contractor that needs a three-quarter-ton pickup to do his or her 
job, or maybe somebody that would just like to buy a sporty car.
  Even worse, it is entirely unclear whether existing technology even 
allows the 60 percent jump from the 2016 requirement of 34.1 miles per 
gallon to reach the almost 55-mile-per-gallon requirement in only seven 
model years to 2025 without sacrificing safety and, yet again, 
eviscerating consumer choice.
  The President's decision to fully review these requirements will 
result in lower vehicle costs, allow safer vehicles, and boost our U.S. 
economy by supporting domestic manufacturing.

                          ____________________